Posted inCrime and Courts, Equity, News

Denver wants to open the marijuana industry to those most impacted by the drug war. Some say it came too late.

After marijuana was legalized in 2012, Colorado leaders began creating rules and regulations for scores of people who were already lining up to take part in what has become a $2.2 billion retail cannabis industry. State leaders took a hardline stance while creating cannabis industry rules, initially barring people with drug convictions from owning dispensaries […]

Posted inBusiness, COVID, News

Colorado’s unemployment rate fell again in August, but there’s a growing number of underemployed people

More people rejoined the workforce in August, pushing Colorado’s unemployment rate down to 6.7%, compared with a high of 12.2% in April. The month got a boost in the government sector, which added 10,400 jobs, credited partly to the back-to-school season and hiring by 2020 Census organizers, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported.  […]

Posted inBusiness, COVID, News

Downtown Denver’s hotel industry is struggling. Is it because people don’t want to be in the city center?

The Sheraton Denver Downtown hotel, nearing the completion of its $80 million renovation, is operating at about a quarter of its usual capacity. Business in the time of the coronavirus has picked up a bit from the disastrous early months, but even if a vaccine were announced tomorrow, the hotel doesn’t expect to get back […]

Posted inBusiness, COVID, News

Many Colorado restaurants have closed. The ones still open aren’t sure how long they can weather coronavirus.

On normal summer nights, the lines are out the door at Beau Jo’s in Idaho Springs. The original location of the Colorado mountain pizza chain just doesn’t have enough seating in its scattered dining rooms for more than 600 people. With the coronavirus pandemic, there are no more normal summer nights. But there’s still a […]

Posted inBusiness, Crime and Courts, News, Politics and Government

U.S. Supreme Court rejects Colorado appeal in excessive business fines case that AG says creates “huge loophole”

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Colorado’s attempt to close what it calls a loophole that allows businesses to avoid some regulatory sanctions by, in part, saying they’re too poor to pay penalties. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, said the decision could hurt the state’s ability to ensure businesses are following regulations […]